• In an effort to “send a message of inclusion to its widely diverse fan base,” the NBA champion Toronto Raptors said they are the first NBA to offer an athletic hijab for Muslim women. The Nike Pro Hijabs with the team’s logo were inspired by the Hijabi Ballers, a Toronto-based non-profit organization dedicated to "celebrating and increasing the involvement of Muslim females in sports." “Inspired by those brave enough to change the game” the team posted to its social media platforms along with a video of the Hijabi Ballers in action.

• Greenleaf Foods said it has signed a deal with the Los Angeles Rams to become the first plant-based food brand to officially partner with an NFL team. As part of this partnership, Greenleaf’s Lightlife Burger will be available at Rams home games this season, beginning Sep. 15 during the team’s 2019 home opener ( agasint tthe New Orleans Saints). Lightlife plant-based protein products will also be featured in the Rams Game On! Program at Albertson’s, Vons, and Pavilions.

• The NFL and Facebook have signed a multi-year partnership extension that will “deliver more diversified NFL video content to fans worldwide through Facebook Watch,” expanding a relationship that began in 2017

The NFL will continue distributing recaps from all 256 regular season games, as well as playoff games and the Super Bowl; plus video highlights from such postseason tentpole events las the Pro Bowl, NFL Scouting Combine and NFL Draft. The NFL will also utilize Facebook Watch for distribution of an array of unique content including NFL news and analysis, Video versions of NFL-produced podcasts and classic and special NFL 100 content.

In addition, the NFL will create Facebook Groups around content themes and work to share relevant video in those groups.

• American Airlines will not renew its naming rights deal with the venue that is home to the NBA’s Miami Heat, which has been AmericanAirlines Arena since it opened in 1999 via a 20-year deal valued at $42 million, according to Miami Today. The team and Miami-Dade County executives are in “advanced talks”with another national company. American will remain the official airline for the Heat.

• Bowlero Corp,, the leading owner and operator of bowling centers in America, has acquired the Professional Bowlers Assn. which has been in operation since 1958. Bowlero said, “All scheduled tournaments and programming will continue, with plans to build upon key initiatives including the PBA's groundbreaking Fox Sports partnership.” Full story here.

• Marshawn Lynch has been named as the founded for the expansion Oakland Panthers of the Indoor Football League, with the team beginning play in February 2020 in Oakland (formerly Oracle) Arena. The NFL Raiders are moving from Oakland to Las Vegas beginning with the 2020 season. Full story here.

• The Paley Center for Media, NY, will honor the 100th season of the NFL with a new exhibit: "A Century of Football: Celebrating the NFL’s 100th Season," free and open to the public (Sept. 14-Oct. 27), which includes the first public screening of the only known complete broadcast of Super Bowl I (then known as the AFL-NFL World Championship Game) in January 1967 between the Green Bay Packers and the Kansas City Chiefs

• Pete Frates and Pat Quinn, co-founders of ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, have launched with The ALS Assn. the 5th anniversary of “Challenge Me” with a “new call to action to reignite the passion and generosity of the millions of people who dumped ice water on their heads in the summer of 2014.”

April 25, 2019: LeBron James’ move from Cleveland to Los Angeles has paid dividends — at least in sales of his jerseys and the Lakers’ merchandise.

In his first season with the Lakers, James tops the list of best-selling NBA jerseys, moving up from No. 2 in 2017-18, his final season with the Cavaliers.

His presence also drove the Lakers to No. 1 in sales of team merchandise, a significant move after the team finished No. 6 in merchandise sales in 2017-18.

Results are based on NBAStore.com sales since the beginning of the 2018-19 regular season.

The results are also good news for e-commerce platform Wish, which is in the midst of three-year deal as the Lakers jersey-patch sponsor, a pact that industry analysts put at $12-$14 million annually,

The NBA did not release specific sales revenue.

James’ rise to the top knocked Stephen Curry down a spot to No. 2 and also moved the Golden State Warriors team merchandise to second.

Also having a key impact on jersey and team merchandise sales was Giannis Antetokounmpo, whose MVP-calibre season saw his jersey rise to No. 3 on this list — the highest ranking of his NBA career — up from No. 11 the previous year; and Milwaukee Bucks merchandise rise to No. 5, up from No. 10 in 2017-18.

The Top 5 best-selling jerseys this past season also included No. 4. Kyrie Irving and No. 5. Joel Embiid.

The Philadelphia 76ers had three players among the Top 15 selling jerseys, the most of any team: Embiid, No. 9. Ben Simmons and No. 10. Jimmy Butler.

In his final NBA season, Dwyane Wade’s Miami Heat jersey was No. 11 on the best-selling list.

At No. 13, Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks has the best-selling jersey among NBA rookies.

Paul George of the Oklahoma City Thunder made the Top 15 best-selling list for the first time since 2016, according to the NBA.